Why is aviation altitude measured in miles when you live in a country that uses metric measurements?

Question

Why is aviation altitude measured in miles when you live in a country that uses metric measurements?

Answer 1

altitude is measured in FEET.

Answer 2

To be specific, Civil aviation altitudes are measured in feet throughout the world (ICAO rule). However, various military organizations in countries using the Metric system use meters for altitude.

As an aexample, ex-Soviet jet fighters obtained after the cold war and imported to the US still have the meter altimeters installed.

Answer 3

Above 18000 feet, altitudes are in 'flight levels' which are the altimeter readings with the altimeter set to 29.92 (standard day), expressed without the last two zeros.  For example FL 330 is 33000 feet, sort of.

It's in feet because everything was set a long time ago and there is no compelling reason to change it.  It is all computers so why bother....  for example the altitude separations are at round numbers like 1000 and 2000 feet.... changing to metric, to get round numbers would be, what, 300 and 600m?  Would require recertifying everything... or else you have 304.8m and 609.6m... who wants to try to get that over the radio?

Answer 4

Altitude is measured in FEET.

The Imperial (Standard) system is still used because the US rules the world (especially the aviation world) it is easier to have a single system (feet) than to try and change the American's minds.  It used to be very interesting for western aircraft flying into the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War as they used meters for altitudes and required some simple, yet extremely vital arithmetic before the days of EFIS where you can just flick a switch to change the units.

It's also very interesting using forestry maps here in Canada (which provide waayy more detail than sectionals for things like boat counts, wildlife surveys, fire patrols, etc) but have all the elevations in meters.  You just have to remember that every hill is over three times higher than it says on the map.

Answer 5

Altitude is measured in feet.

Unless you're flying over Russia or China where it's measured in metres.

There is an ongoing debate in aviation about metric versus imperial. The "norm" or standard is Imperial measurements for altitude (feet) and distance (nautical miles).

Answer 6

Its been a few years since I have flown... however .. Altitude was/is measured in feet. In some countries it is measured/reported in meters. I can not ever recall miles as far as altitude is concerned.

Answer 7

Done a ton of international flying and countries do use the metric system. Kinda funny up there trying to figure out how many feet worth of meters Beijing center wants us to climb to.

Answer 8

By international treaty, flight altitudes are stated in feet.

Answer 9

Wrong question.